Tuesday, December 26, 2017 – While reviewing the original blog below, I did more research into this and found an article titled:

“Grandmother with dementia reacts with sheer joy as her granddaughter places a child’s doll in her arms in a touching video that will move you to tears.”

I love having clear thinking days like this when I can get something like this accomplished without frustration. I spent Christmas eve playing with and snuggling with my grandchildren which I believe is the best medicine I could ever have. thank you to my sons and their families for giving me so much joy! After a 12 hour night of sleeping I am doing wonderful today and thank God for this.

Don’t forget to click on the red links throughout the original blog. Great information at those websites.

Original blog published 02.10.17 – On a personal note, Mama had two beanie babies she loved. Dementia folks have fidgety hands. The beanie babies gave her fidgeting hands something to love. We even buried her with those beanie babies. If I am ever at this point I really want a baby doll to love. A couple of beanie babies would be a nice first step!

Baby dolls for Alzheimer’s patients are therapeutic

A helpful, non-drug way to calm and soothe seniors with Alzheimer’s or dementia is to give them a soft, lifelike baby doll to cuddle. These therapy dolls can even be effective in calming older adults with severe agitation or other significant behavioral issues.

Why therapy dolls for dementia work

Therapy dolls help seniors feel useful and needed and give them something positive to focus on. Similar to the effect of soft toys like stuffed animals, hugging something soft helps someone with dementia soothe themselves.

Another reason therapy dolls are helpful is that they bring back happy memories of early parenthood for both women and men. Having a child to care for can also ease feelings of isolation and sadness. After all, most of us have seen or experienced the way that interacting with real babies can quickly lift spirits and calm nerves.

Many older adults will enjoy rocking and cuddling their doll. Some even adopt the baby as their own and make caring for it part of their daily routine.

Tips for introducing doll therapy to your senior

The best approach is to casually introduce the doll to your senior and let them decide if they like it or not. If they have no interest in the doll, don’t make an issue out of it. They may change their minds in the future so you could always give it another try in a few weeks or months.

A few tips:

Don’t act like the doll is a doll, refer to it as a baby and treat it like a real child.

Get a lifelike doll, but one that doesn’t cry – that could be upsetting.

Don’t force it, allow your senior to get to know the doll slowly.

Some caregivers find dolls controversial

We’ve heard from many caregivers who say their older adults are much calmer and happier now that they have their own baby doll. They’re relieved to have found a non-drug solution that eases their senior’s dementia symptoms.

Some people are concerned that giving their older adult a doll would be demeaning or patronizing. But when someone has dementia, helping them feel safe and happy in their current reality is the top priority. That’s why we sometimes need to consider unconventional approaches like baby dolls, fidget blankets, and other simple activities and toys.

Of course, the decision is entirely up to you since you know your older adult best. If you think a therapy doll might help them feel better and enjoy life more, why not give it a try? It’s an inexpensive “treatment” with no side effects.

Please come back next time when I’ll share more topics about dementia. If you want to get an email whenever I post a blog (I write about other things, not just Alzheimer’s) find the “FOLLOW” box which is usually to the right hand side somewhere, enter your email and respond when the confirmation email is sent to you.

If you are in need of prayer for yourself, in your role as a caregiver, or if you have any specific questions please send me a comment with whatever information you want to share or ask about. I’ll say again that I’m not expert, but I probably experienced with my mom a lot of things you’re going through and will try my best to help. If I don’t know the answer I will tell you I don’t know. I’ll never judge, I’ve been judged enough to last a life time and would never do that to someone else. My email address is rosalyn@selu.edu if that is an easier way to communicate.